Astrobiology & the Origins of Life
					
 May 24, 2005 to May 28, 2005 
 12:00AM to 12:00AM

									

				

					Event Categories   2005				

			


	

	

		

			

				

					

						

														

															

						

						

	

		


	Date/Time

	Date(s) - 24/05/2005 - 28/05/2005
12:00 am







The then newly formed Origins Institute at McMaster University organized an interdisciplinary conference and workshop over a three-week period in Spring 2005.


New observations of exolsolar planets, search for life in solar system, and advances in genomics and biodiversity make astrobiology one of the most exciting and important emergent topics in modern science. We grouped topics under two themes: Planetary Science and Evolutionary Biology. Talks on these two themes were interwoven during the conference week, with an aim of maximizing the degree of communication between different disciplines.


Planetary Theme


    

  • Star formation
    • 

  • Planet formation
    • 

  • Observations of exosolar planets
    • 

  • Search for life elsewhere – Mars, Europa …
    • 

  • Organic molecules in space and delivery of organics to Earth
    • 

  • Geochemistry – energy sources for life
    • 



Evolutionary Biology Theme


    

  • The tree of life – molecular phylogenetics
    • 

  • The earliest organisms – origin, evolution, metabolism, fossil evidence…
    • 

  • Extremophiles
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  • Cellular evolution – the origin and evolution of eukaryotic cells and organelles
    • 

  • Origin and evolution of multicellular life-forms
    • 

  • Evolutionary theory – complexity, autocatalysis, replicators…
    • 



 


Organizing Committee


Ralph Pudritz

Director of the Origins Institute


Jon Stone

Associate Director of the Origins Institute


Paul Higgs and James Wadsley

Department of Physics and Astronomy




Brian Golding

Department of Biology


Canadian Space AgencySupported in part by

the Canadian Space Agency